Friday, December 21, 2012

Fitspiration Friday: Success Story- Margaret

Welcome to our new Fitspiration Friday series Success Stories. Once a month we will feature a success story that has inspired us to continue on our journey. There is really nothing more that inspires us then the success of others especially those who have been in our jeans. So we decided to feature one story a month on Friday's. To kick it off we are featuring Jess' big sister Margaret who through Weight Watchers has lost a total of 64 lbs. We'll let her tell you all about that.

My most recent weight loss began on a completely uneventful Saturday, as I sat munching away on my McDonald’s breakfast (sausage, egg and cheese bagel. Beautiful!). I saw there was a Weight Watcher’s meeting near me in the next half an hour, so I slapped on some clothes and went to get on the scale for the first time.

Weight and me are not good friends. I hate my body and this has manifested itself in ways I’m not prepared to go into, but it’s been a bloody battle to say the least. I wanted the weight off and I wanted it gone immediately. I felt huge and uncomfortable in my body, like all eyes were on me. I was completely baffled that a slim, attractive man had decided he wanted to be with me and there’s still a part of my mind that thinks he’s mad. But I’ll run with it.

Anyway, back to the scale, I weighed in at 192lbs. Must be said, this wasn’t my highest ever weight, 215 was. I’m 5’0. Not a good look. Not healthy either to be fair.

Margaret (on left) before

Weight watchers and me got on like a house on fire: the weight was dropping off and it wasn’t until 3 or 4 months that I saw any sort of gain. My partner, Jonathan, decided to join in with me, not because he needed to lose weight exactly, but mostly because he ate pretty poorly, he’s just blessed with genetics. It was great having him along, we were on the same wave-length, points (or lack thereof) were a part of everyday conversation and we had a system, it worked. He lost 28lbs by the time he got to goal. After he finished, he completely let loose and put 7 pounds of it back on, in a week. After this the dynamic changed a bit, we weren’t a team anymore and I think I’m really starting to notice the effects of that now, but more on that later.

I pressed on and my final weigh in was 128lbs, a total loss of 64 pounds! I was verifiably normal sized! And it was awesome, I felt great, I looked great. And the secret to that loss really was Weight Watchers, followed the plan to the letter, never missed a weekly meeting and after about 8 or 9 months, that was me! I loved the new clothes and rocked the skinny jeans like there was no tomorrow. Short shorts? No problem! Tank tops? Bring it on! Bikini, you better believe it!

All this, you may have noticed, is past tense. The hard part really isn’t losing the weight, it’s maintaining it. Everyone reading this absolutely can lose weight if their mind is in the right place and they have the right support. At the time, I mostly walked everywhere, and that was honestly the only exercise I did. I did some ballet as well, but it was beginner and not really an aerobic work out (great fun though, highly recommended). No one talks much about the other part of the journey, keeping it up.

Margaret after

Right after reaching my goal, I moved to Northern Ireland. My job changed and thus my schedule changed. There wasn’t a meeting that I could attend because of my work schedule or it was too far away. I kept going on my own for about 6 months or so, but slowly but sure, things have gotten tighter again and I’m having to go up in sizes. This sucks. And it’s not just one thing that goes wrong, it’s several and they’re subtle, hardly notice they’re there.

Margaret now

If I had to pinpoint it, the lack of support is what I’m missing at the moment. The meetings kept me motivated and kept me right. Because I was losing so consistently, the other members admired me. I thrive on being a good example and a teacher’s pet (ask Jess, she’ll confirm this, ha!). I was good because I couldn’t let them down and I wanted to the A+ student, as it were. The other part of it was Jonathan doing the program alongside me. Changing your eating habits on your own, when you live with someone else, is neigh on impossible. I can do my best to only bring good stuff into the house, but then he rolls in and orders Dominos. I tend to feel put out when he’s able to munch and do as he pleases and still remain slim. Why can’t I do that?! Why do I have to sit and suffer while he does what ever he wants? It’s frustrating and it’s not fair.

My greatest success was having the right people and influences around me, when those left, I began to slip. I need to try and figure out how I can get that back and I feel that is my key to my own weight loss success, without the support, I’d have never been bothered enough to do it and proven that I can’t keep it up.

Thus the journey begins again!

Congrats Margaret you are looking great, you have inspired us all! Keep up the great job.

Now here's where you come in, are you a success story? If so and you want to be featured as one of our monthly success stories, email us at operationskinnyjeansblog@gmail.com and tell us your story, we would love to hear from you.

8 comments
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Hi there, while this is not my blog, I recently came across it and was very inspired by not only her story but how this woman changed her perspective about food, exercise and weight loss. http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/

Great post today! It is always great to have a support network and hopefully this blog will help Margaret, too :)

Time for the legal mumbo jumbo. I am not a doctor, nor do I pretend to be. I am not a personal trainer, or a nutritionist, and neither are any of the people who guest post or comment on my blog (unless they specify differently). Nothing on this blog, or it's subsidiary Facebook groups should be taken as medical advise, and I am not liable for anything you do while listening to me :D Consult your physician before you engage in any new heath and fitness plan, just like I did.